Combination diffuser and false ceiling suspension systems



April 29, .1969 E. F. AVERILL 3,440,947

COMBINATION DIFFUSER AND FALSE CEILING SUSPENSION SYSTEMS Filed Sept. 19. 1966 Sheet of 2 INVENTOR. EUGENE E A VER/LL E L- E g 5 April 29, 1969 E. F AVERILL 3,440,947 I COMBINATION DIFFUSER AND FALSE CEILING SUSPENSION SYSTEMS Filed Sept. 19. 1966 Shec 2 of 2 INVENTOR. EUGE/VE E AVEFP/LL United States Patent 3,440,947 COMBINATION DIFFUSER AND FALSE CEILING SUSPENSION SYSTEMS Eugene F. Averill, Waterloo, Iowa, assignor to Titus Manufacturing Corporation, Waterloo, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Filed Sept. 19, 1966, Ser. No. 580,440 Int. Cl. F24f 13/06; E04b /55; F16b 1/00 US. Cl. 98-40 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Ceiling structures embodying slot diffusers with barb duct-connecting edges, spring-arm-mounted pattern controller, and clips to connect diffusers with other ceiling diffusers.

The invention in general relates to improvements in combination diffuser and false ceiling suspension systems wherein elongated slot diffusers are employed for distribution of air and also as the elongated supporting members for supporting panels or other elements of a suspended ceiling. The invention particularly pertains to combinations embodying elongated slot diffusers having outwardly directed flanges which are used to support the panels or like elements of suspended ceilings, to attachment structures for connecting the upper side of the slot diffusers to longitudinally-split ducts, to attachment structures for attaching the ends of slot diffusers to edging strips or other slot diffusers, and to other improvements for suspended ceiling systems with integrated slot diffusers embodying active and inactive segments.

The preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a suspended ceiling showing the air distribution duct work and the suspended slot diffusers;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view in transverse section through an elongated slot diffuser and a cylindrical split duct mounted on the upper side thereof;

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view through a slot diffuser having a triangular split duct mounted on the upper side thereof;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view in fragment of an edge or wall channel and an intersecting wall of a slot diffuser and the clip employed for securing these members together; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view in fragment of two intersecting walls of slot diffusers extending at right angles and the clip element for securing the diffuser walls together.

Referring to the drawings a suspended ceiling system comprises a series of substantially parallel elongated slot diffusers extending in one direction across the ceiling. One or more slot diffusers 11 may extend across the room at right angles thereto. The slot diffusers 10 and 11 are suspended from the main ceiling 13 or other building framework by suspension rods or wires 12.

An air supply duct 14 extends across the main ceiling above the slot diffusers. It is connected, by flexible ducts 15 attached to collars 16 of the main duct 14, to enlarged plenum chambers 17 of cylindrical, longitudinally split supply ducts 18 which distribute air supply through the main duct 14 into the slot diffusers 10 and/or 11.

Only certain portions of the slot diffusers 10 are active. Some may not be active at all and may merely serve the function of ceiling suspension members. The term active means that that portion of the slot diffuser is employed for the actual diffusion or discharge of air into the room through the slot diffuser.

The elongated slot diffusers may be of any suitable type such as those disclosed in US. Patent Nos. 3,183,821, 3,185,068, and 3,126,811. Preferably, however, they comprise elongated, oppositely disposed side walls 20 and 21 respectively having inner lips or flanges 22 or 23 and outer lips or flanges 24 and 25. The outer lips or flanges form elongated supports upon which the panels or like elements of the suspended ceiling may be supported. The inner lips or flanges 22 and 23 constitute air deflecting surfaces which coact with an air pattern controller 26 mounted in the elongated air flow channel of the slot diffuser. Air pattern controller 26 does not per se constitute an element of the present invention. Many types of air pattern controllers are known in the art. The air pattern controller illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 is similar in principle of operation and construction to the air pattern controller described in U.'S. Patents Nos. 3,185,068, 3,185,069 and 3,242,847, to which reference is made for further description.

The air pattern controller 26 is provided with an elongated, upwardly extending support bar 27, upon which are nested about and secured to the reverse-bent, vertical legs 29 of inverted Y-spring clips 28 disposed at desired intervals along bar 27. The diagonal spring legs 30' and 31 have outwardly directed lips 32 and 33 adapted to seat in longitudinal slots 34 and 35 provided at the juncture of the upper edge of the side walls 20 and 21 and the respective elongated, longitudinally extending, upwardly and outwardly directed wings 36 and 37. The upper edge of these wings may be longitudinally barbed for hooking engagement in elongated, longitudinally extending channels 3-8 and 39 of elongated attaching clips 40 and 41 mounted at the mouth 42 of the triangular split duct 45 along the lower edges of the converging side walls 43 and 44 of said duct. The top wall 46 forms the third side of the triangular duct.

The inverted Y-spring clips 28 are advantageously employed because they provide ready demountability and mountability of the air pattern controllers 26 in those sections of the slot diffusers 10 or 11 at the active portions thereof. As aforesaid, only certain portions of the slot diffusers may be active and it is unnecessary and expensive to provide pattern controllers for the inactive sections. Normally the inactive sections are left open or may be blanked off by blank-off members.

Therefore, the elements for the slot diffusers and the pattern controllers can be shipped separately to a given installation and the pattern controllers may be installed on the job-site in those portions of the slot diffusers which are active. Furthermore, should it be desired after completion of the ceiling construction to remove or shift the active sections or to add active sections, this can be done easily by removing the ceiling panel or panels, detaching the distribution ducts from the slot diffuser and remoing or shifting or adding pattern controllers 26 by springing diagonal legs 30 and 31 inwardly a sufficient distance to clear the longitudinal slots 34 and 35.

The slot diffuser illustrated in FIG. 2 is similar to that of FIG. 3 and like numerals are used to designate like parts. The slot diffuser of FIG. 2, however, has elongated, longitudinally extending, upwardly directed wings 47 and 48 with horizontal edge portions 49 and 50, the latter having a barbed edge if desired. The horizontal edge portions 49 and 50 are employed to attach the longitudinal, inwardly facing U-channels 51 and 52 of cylindrical split duct 53 to the slot diffuser. The barbed edges are adapted to hook inside the U-channel as shown. The shoulders of the barbed edges 36 and 37 and 49 and 50 catch on lips 80 formed by reverse bends of an edge of a wall of the respective channels.

At the juncture of the side walls of the room and the suspended ceiling, an edging or wall channel 55 is provided. This edging or wall channel has a lower lip or flange 56 for supporting the panel member of the ceiling and an upper horizontally extending upper flange 57. The flange 57 has an elongated, longitudinally extending, downwardly facing groove 58. The lower lip has an elongated, opposing, longitudinally extending, upwardly facing groove 68.

The ends of the slot diffuser or 11 are coupled with the wall channel 55 by an L-mounting clip 59 having a fiat leg 60, the upper and lower edges of which slide into the respective, opposing, outer grooves 61 and 62 of the diffuser elements. The other leg 63 of the L-mounting clip is substantially narrower than leg 60 and has one or more upwardly directed, bent ears 64 having a transverse arc or V-shaped as viewed in end elevation. The bent ears 64 fit below the flange 57 against the wall 65. When these ears are flattened by pressure or pounding, e.g., with pliers as shown in FIG. 4, they will straighten so that their upper edges slip into the downwardly facing channel 58 and thereby securing leg 63 on channel 55 with the upper edges of ears 64 in groove 58 and the lower edge of leg 63 in groove 68.

At the intersections of diffusers 10 and 11, the end segments 66 and 67 of diffuser 11 are attached by a U- clip 70. The clip 70 has side legs 71 and 72 which slide into the opposing, outer grooves 61 and 62 of the end segments 66 and 67. The base leg 73 of the U-clip comprises a tapered leg 73, the bottom edge 74 of which fits in the outer channel 62 of extrusions 69 of slot diffusers 10. An upper corner 75 of the leg 73 fits into the slot 61. The clip is mounted by sliding it into one end of the grooves 61 and 62 of extrusion 69 and moving it along until it is at the intended point of intersection of the slot diffuser 11. Thereafter the end segments 66 and 67 of slot diffuser 11 may be mounted on the legs 71 and 72. The U-clip 70 is frictionally held in the slots 61 and 62 by spring strip member 76. The lower end of the spring strip 76 is riveted to the base leg 73 and the upper end 77 fits under and frictionally engages the lip 78 in the slot 61. The upper end 77 of strip 76 may be pressed away from lip 78 to permit the leg 73 to be slid in channels 61 and 62 of extrusion 69.

The invention herein provides improvements in the mounting of air discharge pattern control means in elongated air flow channels of slot diffusers by spring arm means releasably mounting the pattern control means, particularly by the use of spring arms extending from the pattern control means with respective outer edges of the spring arms seated in elongated slots on the inner faces of the side walls of the slot diffusers. The invention further affords improvements in the mounting of split ducts on slot diffusers by the provision of elongated, barbed edges extending along the respective upper edges of the side walls of the diffusers and received in channel members extending longitudinally along opposite edges of the longitudinal slot of the split duct. In a preferred form a wall of the channel member has a lip catching the respective barbed edges. The invention further provides improvements in ceiling structure embodying elongated slot diffusers by the provision of improved clips for attaching the ends of the diffusers to channel members and/or other slot diffusers at the intersections thereof.

It is thought that the invention and its numerous attendant advantages will be fully understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the forms herein disclosed being preferred embodiments for the purpose of illustrating the invention.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A slot diffuser and split duct combination comprising opposing, elongated side walls defining an elongated air flow channel, means extending along the downstream portions of said side walls defining an elongated air discharge slot, elongated, longitudinally extending, upwardly and outwardly directed wings projecting from the upstream portions of said side walls and having longitudinally barbed outer edges each having a shoulder, a split duct having a longitudinal slot in the lower side thereof, elongated walls on said duct defining U-channels extending longitudinally along opposite sides of said longitudinal slot, a longitudinal lip on a side wall of each channel, and said barbed edges being seated in respective channels with the respective shoulders thereof caught by respective lips in said channels.

2. A combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lips are formed by reverse bends of an edge of a respective wall of said channels.

3. A slot diffuser comprising opposing, elongated side walls defining an elongated air flow channel, means extending along the downstream portions of said side walls defining an elongated discharge slot, air discharge pattern control means in said channel, means forming opposing longitudinal slots in the inner faces of saidside walls, and inverted Y spring clips, each having a reverse bend vertical leg attached to said air pattern control means and downwardly diverging, diagonal spring legs forming spring arms with the respective outer edges thereof seated in said last-mentioned slots.

4. In a ceiling structure having intersecting channels forming a ceiling suspension system, the improvement comprising one channel having opposing upper and lower grooves on a side thereof, a clip having a leg narrower than the space between said grooves, an edge of said leg being seated in one of said grooves, at least one bent ear extending from the opposite edge of said leg with the outer edge of said bent car outside the opposite groove, said ear having a length whereby its outer edge fits into said opposite groove when said ear is flattened, and another leg on said clip on an end of a second channel member intersecting said first channel member whereby said clip attaches together said intersecting, first and second channels.

5. A ceiling structure having parallel, elongated slot diffusers extending thereacross in at least one direction, a channel member extending across respective ends of said slot diffusers, means forming a downwardly facing, upper groove and an opposing, upwardly facing lower groove on said channel, a clip having a leg narrower than the space between said grooves, the lower edge of said leg being seated in said lower groove, at least one bent ear extending upwardly from the upper edge of said leg with the upper edge of said ear below said upper groove, said ear having a length whereby its upper edge fits into said upper groove when said ear is flattened, said slot diffusers respectively having opposed, elongated side walls defining the elongated air flow channel of said slot diffuser, and another leg on said clip mounted on an end of a side wall of said slot diffuser.

6. A diffuser structure comprising a first, elongated slot diffuser extending across a ceiling, a second elongated slot diffuser extending across said ceiling at a right angle to said first diffuser with an end of said second diffuser abutting a side of said second diffuser, said diffusers being characterized by spaced, opposed, side walls defining an air flow channel therebetween and opposed, upper and lower grooves on the outer sides of said side wa1ls,.and a U-clip having its side legs slidably received in opposed pairs of said grooves of the second diffuser and its other leg having its upper and lower edges received in the opposed pair of grooves on the outer side of one of said sides of said first diffuser to connect said diffusers together at the juncture thereof.

7. A diffuser structure as claimed in claim 6 wherein the upper edge of said other leg slopes diagonally to provide only a corner thereof received in the upper groove, a spring strip mounted on the opposite end of said other leg and extending upwardly, and the upper edge of said spring strip being received in said upper groove.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner.

W. E. WAYNER, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

